Chapter 271: It Saps Your Pools
Raegar smiled at the woman’s words and nodded. ’’Thanks Aunty,’’ he said. ’’It’s took a weight off my shoulders I didn’t know I had.’’
Tracy nodded, a warm smile crossing her face. ’’Good. Now enjoy your summer break.’’
When the girls heard his words, they exchanged bright smiles and turned to him with radiant expressions. Drusilla, with a playful glint in her big blue eyes, shrank into her smaller form and darted toward him. In a one motion, she reverted to her larger form, landing in his lap. She leaned in, delivering a passionate kiss as their bond flared to life.
Aether surged around them, its power filling the air. Dahlia leapt to her feet, casting a shield to guard the others from the dazzling outburst. The Fairy began to transform, her blonde hair shifting to deep black, then stark white, as her eyes blazed a vivid blue, mirroring his own, surprising everyone in the hall.
At that moment, Arthur appeared, his voice resonating with authority. ’’The Fusion King has forged his first Fusion Bond. Lady Drusilla’s strength will now ascend to new heights.’’
Everyone shocked but the now white-haired Fairy leaned back, a big smile crossing her face as she commented. ’’Wow, I didn’t know that would happen but I’m not complaining. Now try it with the others.’’
The Dark Fairy stepped back, returning to her normal form cofusing Raegar but Arthur quickly explained. ’’She can activate it at will, my lord. The power feeds off you just like it will for the others.’’
’’Oh that makes sense,’’ he muttered just as Zahara stepped forward.
She leaned closer, her lips brushing softly against his, igniting a spark that pulsed between them. A surge of Aether flowed from him into her, weaving through her body and transforming her. Her sandy blonde hair shimmered, turning a snow-white, and above her outstretched hand, a book materialized, woven from pure energy.
Her blue eyes sparkled with affection as she gazed at him, a love-filled smile crossing her lips. But exhaustion crashed over him like a wave. Raegar slumped, drained, just as Arthur’s voice cut through. ’’Give it a week before attempting another bond, my lord. It saps your pools too much.’’
The others murmured in agreement when seeing the strain on their lover. As he struggled to recover, a wave of Aether enveloped him. Zahara’s book snapped open with a whisper, its pages shimmering as she channeled energy to restore him from his ordeal. But it wasn’t enough. His body needed rest, though he refused to sleep until he’d finished his meal.
’’You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to Rae,’’ Dahlia finally spoke. ’’I can see you’re low on Aether, why not go get some sleep? I’ll take the others into the city using my disguise.’’
Just as she spoke, the empress turned into her nerdy persona putting a smile on his face. ’’I like both versions of you, I didn’t know the great beauty of Dawnfire was a beautiful nerd with a love for reading.’’
When the older woman heard this, her cheeks went red but she giggled. ’’I’m glad you do, It would hurt me to find out you found me ugly.’’
’’Nope, you were pretty then, and gorgeous now,’’ he revealed.
The rest of the girls laughed at there before Selene teased him. ’’Looks like me and Domi are next, will you be able to handle us?’’
Raehar chuckled nut nodded with a confident expression. ’’Of course, I didn’t expect it to drain all my Aether. Are you sure about going out? It’s summer breal and I know you wanted to speak time together?
’’Just rest and I’ll take them shopping,’’ Dahlia waved him away. ’’Make sure you sleep while we’re out.’’
Following that, the group of women said their goodbyes before leaving the dining hall as Tracy appeared beside him. ’’I can take you to a bedroom? Or would you prefer the wooden chair?’’
’’Take me there,’’ he yawned. ’’I do need to sleep from the bonding and get Arthur to explain it to me.’’
The older woman nodded. ’’Come on, let’s get going. I have a date with Alfred tonight thanks to having the afternoon off.’’
’’Glad your not a spinstar anymore,’’ he teased. ’’I wondered if you’d ever get married.’’
When Tracy heard this she playfully pushed him away. ’’Shut it you, I was too busy working but I made up for that in this life.’’
’’Yes he seems like a bag of fun,’’ Raegar retorted, chuckling. ’’All his done is give me the stink eye since meeting him.’’
’’The one thing you have to understand that Alfred is loyal to the imperial family. His father served the previous emperor and now Dahlia, when she proposed to her, it shocked him but once realizing how strong you’ll become he accepted it.’’
When Tracy finished explain Raegar waited for her to continue but she didn’t, prompting him to ask. ’’Then why haven’t I seen him?’’
’’Embarrassment,’’ she revealed.
Raegar was confused but shrugged as the two continued down the palace hallway where the older woman stopped, motioning towward a nearby door. ’’Here you go, there’s an en-suite bathroom and new sheets. The other maids cleaned up after sometime ago.’’
Tracy pushed open the door, revealing a nicely decorated bedroom that looked good to him. In the middle of the room stood a big double bed, its covers looked new and the pillows seemed soft. The walls were painted a calming shade of lavender, complemented by delicate lights strung along the headboard, casting a gentle glow.
A small wooden nightstand sat to one side, holding a vase of fresh wildflowers, their subtle fragrance mingling with the faint scent of lavender from a nearby candle. Sheer curtains framed a large window, allowing sunlight to filter through the polished hardwood floor, adding to the room’s welcoming atmosphere.
’’This room looks peaceful,’’ he muttered, scanning the room.
’’Yes the empress wanted a place for you or the other lady’s to rest when you want to be alone,’’ Tracy answered. ’’Now I have to go but enjoy your rest, nephew.’’
Raegar turned around and hugged the older woman, replying. ’’Thank you for helping me move on. Also in finding happiness for yourself, you deserved it back on Earth.’’
Tears appeared in the older woman’s eyes as she gazed at him, her emotions bubbling to the surface. With a push, she ushered him into the room. ’’Go on, get in there before you make me cry,’’ she said, beaming. ’’We’ve got plenty of time to catch up later, but right now, you better spoil those women rotten,take them on a date they’ll never forget!’’
Before he could respond, she shut the door with a soft thud, leaving him alone in the room. A low chuckle escaped his lips, shaking his head, amused as he began taking off his shirt, making his way toward the bathroom. The creak of the floorboards echoed in the quiet space.
Raegar stripped out of his clothes, stepping into the bathroom. He let out a contented sigh as the faint scent of all kinds of flowers greeting him from a cluster of candles flickering on the countertop. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow casting gentle shadows across the tiled walls.
A large tub sat invitingly in the center, already filled with steaming water, its surface dusted with a shimmer of bath oils that caught the candlelight. He paused for a moment, stripping off the last of his clothes and tossing them into a wicker basket by the door, his muscles visibly relaxing as the weight of the day began to slip away.
Easing himself into the tub, Raegar sank into the warm embrace of the water, the heat seeping into his tired limbs and soothing the faint ache from his earlier exertions. He leaned back, resting his head against the smooth porcelain edge, and closed his eyes, letting the gentle lapping of the water against the tub’s sides lull him into a state of calm.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he reached for a bar of cedarwood-scented soap, lathering it slowly between his hands before working it across his shoulders and chest, the rich foam mingling with the bath oils. The world outside seemed to fade, replaced by the quiet rhythm of his breathing and the occasional drip of water from the faucet.
For a while, he simply soaked, his thoughts drifting to the evening ahead, the laughter of the women he’d promised to spoil. But for now, this moment was his alone, a rare pause to recharge. After rinsing off, he stood, water rushing down his body as he reached for a towel hanging nearby.
He dried off methodically, the soft fabric brushing against his skin, before wrapping the towel around his waist and stepping onto the cool floor. Padding softly into the adjacent bedroom, he found the space as inviting as ever. The double bed, dressed in crisp linens and a thick comforter, beckoned him.